Inventors:
James M. MacFarland - Frederica DE
Bernard W. Kappe - Camden DE
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air
Force - Washington DC
International Classification:
B23K 2000
B23K 3538
A62B 1500
Abstract:
An inflatable, inert-gas purged welding chamber assembly ideally suited for use in welding workpieces made of a metal (e. g. , titanium), or of an alloy, which is susceptible to atmospheric contamination during welding. The welding chamber of the assembly is defined by a collapsible, reusable, inflatable member (e. g. , a polyethylene bag) that is releasably connected to a closeable opening in a wall member. The inflatable member, while in a collapsed condition and while containing the workpieces to be welded and the accessories therefor (e. g. , a welding torch, extra tungsten electrodes, and filler wires) on a shelf protruding from the wall member, is purged of air (i. e. , the ambient atmosphere) by the use of an inert gas (e. g. , argon), thereby inflating the collapsed member and creating an inert gas environment in which the air-contaminable workpieces can be welded without fear of contamination. The enormous time consumed, the inert gas wasted, and the high cost of the rigid welding chambers, and of the shielding fixtures, that necessarily were used in the prior art to accomplish welding in an inert gas environment are eliminated by the use of this collapsible, reusable, inexpensive, and inflatable welding chamber.